Eastern Asia, Southern Asia, and Southeast Asia take the top three seats for the most social networking users globally, with an accumulated 2.009 billion users.

Eastern Asia has the highest social media penetration rate at 70%.

Messaging apps in Asia are not only for messaging; they serve multiple purposes that position them as centralized platforms for users to access various services, integrating itself in every aspect of consumers’ daily lives. Thus, in most Asian countries, the top social apps are messaging-first platforms.

Asian consumers have begun to distrust big corporations, so brands have turned to social media influencers.

Aside from reaching a wider range of consumers, this strategy is also cost-effective.

Additionally, this strategy fits perfectly with the prevalence of high smartphone penetrations, young demographics, and the spread of social platforms.

In Asia, influencers are not just limited to celebrities; they can range from socialites to columnists.

Unlike big and faceless corporations, influencers provide an image of relatability to brands that foster a sense of trust among consumers, unlike any other strategy.

Users rely on them to give their honest opinions about a service or product, thus building a very personal relationship. As such, influencers have one of the most loyal followers.

The social media landscape in Asia is extremely dynamic. Although diverse, key social media strategies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and multi-functional messaging apps will help your business achieve success across many countries within the region.

For digital marketers, special attention must be given to native platforms in each country, as they are often rich sources of social listening.

Baidu.com with 5.6 page visits per day is the most visited website in Asia, Baidu is the equivalent of Google in China. Among the top 10 are Tmall.com and Taobao.com, they are the top ecommerce sites in China. According to Alexa, both Tmall and Taobao gather more web visitors than Amazon.com

China, India and Indonesia have the top LinkedIn advertising audiences in Asia

The most downloaded app in Asia, TikTok is an iOS and Android media app for creating and sharing short videos.

Social media is massively popular across Southeast Asia. A full 61% of all people in the region are active on social media – a significant rise from 55% just one year ago.

According to the latest figures, Malaysia and the Philippines have an equal addressable advertising audience on Facebook – 98% of their entire population aged 13 or older. Thailand and Singapore are also in the top ten worldwide, with nearby territories Taiwan and Hong Kong also making the list.

The advancement of technology, particularly regarding smartphones, has shifted the behavior of internet users in Southeast Asia and beyond. By improving internet accessibility, mobile phones have radically changed the marketing landscape, providing vastly increased access for firms that interact with their audiences via online platforms.

Social media users in Asia spend two to four hours a day on these platforms (source)

I didn't have much time to make this into a nicely written article but here are some takeaways:

Eastern Asia, Southern Asia, and Southeast Asia take the top three seats for the most social networking users globally, with an accumulated 2.009 billion users.

Eastern Asia has the highest social media penetration rate at 70%.

Messaging apps in Asia are not only for messaging; they serve multiple purposes that position them as centralized platforms for users to access various services, integrating itself in every aspect of consumers’ daily lives. Thus, in most Asian countries, the top social apps are messaging-first platforms.

Asian consumers have begun to distrust big corporations, so brands have turned to social media influencers.

Aside from reaching a wider range of consumers, this strategy is also cost-effective.

Additionally, this strategy fits perfectly with the prevalence of high smartphone penetrations, young demographics, and the spread of social platforms.

In Asia, influencers are not just limited to celebrities; they can range from socialites to columnists.

Unlike big and faceless corporations, influencers provide an image of relatability to brands that foster a sense of trust among consumers, unlike any other strategy.

Users rely on them to give their honest opinions about a service or product, thus building a very personal relationship. As such, influencers have one of the most loyal followers.

The social media landscape in Asia is extremely dynamic. Although diverse, key social media strategies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and multi-functional messaging apps will help your business achieve success across many countries within the region.

For digital marketers, special attention must be given to native platforms in each country, as they are often rich sources of social listening.

Baidu.com with 5.6 page visits per day is the most visited website in Asia, Baidu is the equivalent of Google in China. Among the top 10 are Tmall.com and Taobao.com, they are the top ecommerce sites in China. According to Alexa, both Tmall and Taobao gather more web visitors than Amazon.com

China, India and Indonesia have the top LinkedIn advertising audiences in Asia

The most downloaded app in Asia, TikTok is an iOS and Android media app for creating and sharing short videos.

Social media is massively popular across Southeast Asia. A full 61% of all people in the region are active on social media – a significant rise from 55% just one year ago.

According to the latest figures, Malaysia and the Philippines have an equal addressable advertising audience on Facebook – 98% of their entire population aged 13 or older. Thailand and Singapore are also in the top ten worldwide, with nearby territories Taiwan and Hong Kong also making the list.

The advancement of technology, particularly regarding smartphones, has shifted the behavior of internet users in Southeast Asia and beyond. By improving internet accessibility, mobile phones have radically changed the marketing landscape, providing vastly increased access for firms that interact with their audiences via online platforms.